Terminal box.



M. LUTHER.

TERMINAL BOX.

7 APPLICATION HL/ED MAY 15, 911.

Patented Mar. 4,1919.

MARTIN LUTHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BOX.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN LUTHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Terminal Boxes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descri tion.

y invention relates to outlet-boxes for insulated and non-insulated electrical conductors, and particularly to the terminal facilities thereof.

The object of my invention is to avoid the congestion of electrical conductors in the interior of electrical outlet-boxes and to greatly increase their capacity for connecting the terminals of said conductors.

Another object of my invention 1s to utilize the element covering the open face of said outlet-box as a terminal chamber both for the electrical conductors whose ends are insertible in said box and for conductors inserted directly into said covering element. Another object is to so construct said covering element that access can easily be had to the terminal connections of the conductors therein, and so that it can be easily separated from or attached to said outlet-box to permit of the manipulation of said-conductors. This I accom lish by the meanshereinafter fully descri ed, and as particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention showing it applied to astandard electrical outlet-box.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same showing my improved terminal chamber. 4

Fig. 3 is a vertical central section thereof taken on dotted line 3'3, Fig. 2.-

Fig. 4 isa top edge view thereof.

Fig.5 is a front view of the terminal box with the terminal plate thereof removed.

Fig. 6 is a rear view of the terminal plate removed from said chamber.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a standard outlet for electric conductors of a type that can be used in connection with any kind of an electrical installation, and is adapted to receive the ends of any kind of insulated .or non-insulated conductors, large or small, within certain limits. My invention can be used in connection with any kind of an outlet-box, if allowances are made for such changes in the design thereof to enable it to be properly assembled with the same.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

Application filed May 16. 1917. Serial No. 168,945.

insulated conductors b inserted through insulated bushings c in the holes so made.

The back of outlet-box A is constructedin the usual manner and is ordinarily closed,

I but it can be pierced to permit of electrical conductors being inserted therethrough, if desired,- and said box may be secured against a vertical wall or placed in a horizontal position and be supported upon a shelf or floor without affecting its usefulness in connection with my improvements. The shape of the outer side and the outer edges of its shell are such as to facilitate the securing of the inner flanged edges 03 of the side-walls e of a terminal chamber C thereto. These flanges d may be continuous around the inner open side of said terminal-chamber. This is immaterial, however, so long as they permit any suitable kind of fastening device to be inserted through suitably shaped openings f therein to secure the shell of said terminal-chamber to the outlet-box. The upper side of the terminal-chamber shown in the drawings is also open and the rear edges ofside-walls of the'shell thereof, are,

next said upper open side, connected by a.

flat bridge D, which is depressed between its .ends, and at its center of length is cut that connects the upper edges of said side'- walls 0 next'the open end of said terminalchamber. The upper end of this terminalplate G is of a depth corresponding to the distance between bridge D and cross-bar g,

and the vertical dimensions of said plate are such that its loweredge terminates about the center of height of the terminalchamher, and at one side its lower edge is provided with a downward extension that is screwed or otherwise attached to the flanged edge (Z of the contiguous side of said terminal-chamber. The relative superficial dimensions and position of the terminal-plate,

minal-plate is provided with a series of ver-- tical ribs j that are spaced apart and so disposed as to form channels J with which said 1 openings hv communicate. Each of these channels constitutes a seat for a vertically elongated metal contact plate I, the ends of which are tapped by screws 70, k, that extend into the insulated terminal-plate G and con stitute binding-posts for the ends of the electrical conductors inclosed within the outletbox, or for the ends of the electric conductors within said box and electrical conductors that can be extendedout through the openings of plate G. r

The lower horizontal side of the terminalchamber is, preferably, of a depth considerably less than the upper open side thereof, and has the lower horizontal edge of a cover. K suitably hinged thereto. The outer edges of the side-walls of the terminal chamber are curved outward and upward from the outer edge of said lower horizontal side and the said cover is correspondingly bent outward to conform to the swell front of said chamber and extends to and covers over the upper open end of the box. The upper transverse edge of the cover terminates in the same horizontal plane as the upper transverse end of the terminal-chamber and has a supplemental lid L or flap hinged thereto.

This lid L is of rectangular dimensions suflicient to close the entire open top of the terminal-chamber, and the edge thereof opposite and parallel to its hinged edge is provided at its center of length with a lug m that projects at right angles therefrom toward the outlet box, and is bent or deflected to a suitable extent, so that when said cover K is closed, it enters the transversely disposed slot E in bridge D. Cover K near its upper edge is provided with a suitable opening a: through which a screw-threaded stud N projecting outward from cross-bar 9 extends when said cover is closed. A nut o is screwed upon this stud to lock the cover in its closed position, and then, if desired, the wire yoke P of an ordinary seal Q can be inserted through a transaxial opening in stud N and sealed, to prevent said terminalchamber and outlet-box from being opened without detection.

In order to facilitate the assembling of the terminal-chamber and outlet-box, I prefer to provide the upper edge-of bridge D and the inner edge of the lower side of the of and having a chamber therein in which v electrical conductors are connected, a movable cover for the outer side of said closure device movably connected to one side of the same, and movable means connected to said cover for closing the side of said device opposite that to which said cover is connected.

2. The combination with an electrical outlet-box of the kind specified, of a suitable closure device applied to the open side thereof and having a chamber therein in which electrical conductors are connected, a movable eover for the outer'side of said closure device hinged to one side of the same, and means hinged to said cover for closing the side of said closure device opposite that to which said cover is hinged.

- 3. The combination with ,electrical out-- let-box of the kind specific of a removable terminal-chamber applied to the open s de thereof, the outer side and one end of which chamber are open, a cover for the outer open side of said chamber, and a cover for the open end thereof.

4. The combination with an electrical outlet-box of the kind specified, a terminalchamber applied to the open side thereof, the outer side and one end of which chamber are open, a cover hinged to the closed end of said chamber, and a cover for the open end of the latter which is hinged to said first mentioned cover.

'5. A terminal-chamber for electrical outlet-boxes comprising a suitable shell consist ing of side-walls, a transverse wall connecting the same at one end;'and a brldge connecting the inner edges of said side-Walls at 'the opposite end of said chamber and having boxes comprising a suitable shell consisting of side-walls, a transverse wall connecting the same at one end, and a bridge-connecting the inner edges of said side-walls at the opposite endof said chamber and having a transverse slot therein mediate said side-walls, a crocs-bar connecting said side-Walls adjacent said bridge, a cover for said chamber hin ed to the outer edge of said transverseflval a flap hinged to the-free transverse edge of said cover and having a lug projecting therefrom that engages said slot when said cover is closed, a, stud projecting from said crossbar out through asuitable hole in said cover,

anda seal the wire yoke of which is adapted 

